Method of and apparatus for controlling temperature



A May 4, 1937. H. A. WADMAN 2,079,566

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLIVNG TEMPERATURE Original Filed April 5, 1930 ME'rHoo orANn APPARATUS son coNraoLLlNo TEMPERATURE Harold A. Wadman, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to Hartford-Empire Company, Hartlord, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Original application April 5, 1930, Serial No. 441,793. Divided and this application August 13, 1932, Serial No. 628,713

6 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic tempeza.- ture control and relates both to the method of and apparatus for effecting such control. The present application is a division of my prior and 5 copending application, Serial No. 441,793, iiled April 5, 1930 for Method of and apparatus for annealing glassware. While my parent application relates to a method of and apparatus for annealing glassware, it includes certain tem- 79 perature control mechanisms and arrangements which are not necessarily restricted to a use in connection with the annealing of glassware, but may be considered in their broader aspects, namely, as method and means for controlling 3 temperatures `of any material, whether it be glassware or not, and Whether it be moving or l stationary.

In the prior art, means and apparatus have been provided for correcting or adjusting tem- 90 peratures of various materials in response to the temperature of the material which is to be regulated and in an automatic manner. Such prior art temperature regulation has included continuous progressive correction of the tem- 25 parature as long as correction is needed and has also included intermittent temperature correction in which correction is made at spaced intervals separated by intervals in which no correcltion is made even though further correction .l may be required. Neither of these methods, and

the apparatus employed according to such methods, have been wholly satisfactory as the continuous manner of correct temperature in many cases has a tendency to overrun, so that the actual temperature of the material wanders from one side to the other of the desired temperature. In the use of intermittent correction in the prior art, it has been found that this method of regulation has been slow in its ac- ,10 tion, especially at such times as the actual temperature of the material to be regulated is a substantial amount different from the desired temperature.

Among the objects of the present invention, 45 therefore, is to provide a method and apparatus of temperature control which will overcome the difculties of the prior art in that temperature correction is made intermittently when the differences between the actual temperature of the 50 material to beregulated and the desired temperature are relatively small, and continuous when those differences are relatively larger. 1n this way, my present method and apparatus include the advantages of both the intermittent 55 and continuous types `oi temperature regulation while not including the disadvantages of either.

A further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for and a method of temperature regulation of the character as above set forth applicable to the so-called duplex tem- 5 perature regulation disclosed for the rst time in my prior Patent No. 1,802,991, granted April 28, 1931. According to the disclosure of this patent the temperature of a moving mass of material is regulated in response to two thermostats, one of which is subject partially to the temperature of the material and also to some extent at least to the temperature created by the temperature aiecting means, and the other of which is positioned further along the course of movement of the material and subject predominantly to its temperature the second thermostat being used to adjust the range in which the rst operates. It is a specific object of this invention to provide a method and means by which this range adjustment will be intermittent for small variations or differences between the temperature at the second thermostat and its predetermined adjustable temperature range and continuous for larger ones.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and sub-joined claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of the ware-entering end of a glass annealing lehr to which temperature regulating means embodying my present invention are applied; and

Fig. 2 illustrates in simplified form a system of electric circuits by which temperature regulation may be effected according to my present invention. A

Referring rst to Fig. l, wherein is illustrated a portion of the lehr to which my invention may be applied, the lehr is constructed oi a structural metal frame work including the longitudinally extending channel members (not shown) one at each side thereof which are tied together by a plurality of cross channels, as illustrated at 2 and 3. The cross channels 2 serve to support the inner tunnel as will be hereinafter described. The channels 3 are disposed at the points of connection of the longitudinally extending channels, a plurality of which are used -for supporting the entire lehr, the channels 3 being provided with brackets E bearing wheels l by which the movement of thel lehr as a whole is facilitated. The lehr tunnel is constructed of a plurality of sections arranged in end to end position, each section of which is independently expansible and is supported by the structural frame work, above referred to, without the interposition of material of high heat conductivity, this support being preferably of a type similar to that disclosed in the patent granted to myself and one A. W. Russell, No. 1,827,673, granted October 13, 1931, which disclosed the inner metal tunnel of a lehr supported solely through the interposition of heat insulating material from an outer relatively rigid metallic support. The portion of the lehr shown in Fig. l includes section 9, and a portion of section I0, there being a plurality of sections as disclosed in my parent application, Serial No. 441,731, above referred to. Section 9, the first section, comprises an inner tunnel built up of a metallic bottom member I2, metallic side members as illustrated at I3, and a metallic top member I5, which are preferably bolted together or which may be secured together in any other suitable or desired manner. Section III includes a metallic bottom member I6 and a metallic top member I8, secured together in the same manner as the members of section 9. Means are provided intermediate the contiguous ends of the sections 9 and I0 for permitting independent expansion thereof, such means being indicated generally at 2I. The sections of the inner tunnel may be supported upon spaced piers of insulating material, such as insulating bricks, certain of which are illustrated at 24 and 26. These piers comprise one or more heat insulating bricks or blocks of suitable strength to furnish the necessary support for the tunnel sections. The piers are in turn supported upon suitable metallic plates as 2'I, which are disposed above the cross members, as illustrated at 2. Means are provided for permitting relative movement between the piers and the inner tunnel sections, including plates as shown at 28, the inner sections being carried on rollers 29 disposed between the plates 28 and the tunnel sections. Thus, the tunnel sections may move longitudinally of the lehr with respect to the piers under the iniluence of heat expansion. 'I'he tunnel sections are preferably surrounded by a metallic casing, as illustrated at 30 below the tunnel and 33 at the top. The remaining space intermediate the inner and outer tunnel casings is preferably filled with loose heat insulating material, such for example as kieselguhr, this material being indicated by the stippling in Fig. 1. Suitable spacing blocks may be inserted between the lateral sides and the top portions of the inner tunnel sections, one of which is illustrated in dotted lines at 38. Ware may be conveyed through the tunnel upon an endless iiexible metallic apron, preferably of woven wire, this apron being illustrated in Fig. l at 8, and being drawn slowly through the tunnel from left to right as seen in that ligure by mechanism (not shown), but which may be the same as, or similar to, that disclosed in the patent to Mulholland, No. 1,560,481, granted Nov. 3, 1925.

Gate members may be provided adjacent to the entrance end of the tunnel for minimizing drafts blowing either into or out of the tunnel and to prevent heat losses from the interior of the tunnel. Such members include a lower member shown at 58 and an upper member shown at '14. These members may be constructed and arranged for movement and/or adjustment in the manner described in my arent application, Serial No. 441,793, above eferred to. It

will be understood, however, that a minimum opening is left to provide the necessary space for the insertion of articles into the lehr onto the belt 48 thereof, while at the same time provision is preferably made for opening the gates Wide to permit access to the interior of the lehr tunnel when desired.

In the lehr disclosed in my parent application,

serian No. 441,793, the mst zone or portion of the tunnel is used for the purpose of preconditioning the ware, that is, either positively supplying heat to it or positively abstracting heat from it, as may be necessary to bring the ware from its entering temperature up or down to the desired temperature at which the ware is to be held for the release of permanent strains or the soaking temperature. It is thought, therefore, desirable at this time to set forth the details of the construction of the temperature affecting means for alternatively adding or abstracting heat to or from the lehr in order to serve as a basis for the disclosure of the temperature control system, per se, at least to the extent that such structure is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the present drawing. The portion of the tunnel shown in Fig. 1 is that used for the positive supplying or abstracting of heat to or from the ware and reference is made to this gure for the description of this portion of the construction and its operation.

The bottom member I2 of the rst section 9 is hollow and forms a ue through which cooling air may be passed for cooling the bottoms of articles on the belt 48 as desired. For this purpose the member I2 is provided with an air inlet opening 82 formed as an elongate slot extending transversely of the lehr adjacent to the entrance end thereof and on the underside o1 the member I2. The opening 82 communicates with the atmosphere through a zigzag passage 83 extending down through a suitable block or blocks disposed between the underside of the member I2 and the bottom 30 of the outer casing. The loose insulating material between the tunnel and outer casing is thus prevented from passing into the inlet passage 83. The zigzag arrangement of the passage 83 provides for breaking joints in the bricks (when a plurality are used) through which this passage extends, and also tends to prevent the ingress of foreign material into Athe flue formed in the member I2, and more particularly hinders egress of heated air when the flue is not operating as a cooling ue. The member I2 is preferably partially subdivided into a plurality of sections by at least one partial partition, as shown at 84, which tends to keep the cooling air in close contact with the upper wall oi this member, which is also the lower wall or floor of the tunnel,this insuring the effectiveness of the cooling. For conducting the cooling air out of the interior of the member I2, it is provided at the end remote from the entrance end of the lehr with laterally extending passages which terminate in upwardly extending passages 86 communicating with a transverse header 87. Communication between the transverse header and the Wind box 88 is controlled by a transversely extending damper member, which in the present case comprises a cylindrical rod 89 having cutout segments and a suitable cylindrically formed seat for such rod. The means for controlling the position of the damper member 89 will be hereinafter described.

The upper or roof member I5 of the section 9 is hollow to form a'fiue, as is the bottom member IBI I2, and is similarly provided with anair inlet opening 90 communicating with the atmosphere through a zigzag passage 9| formed in a suitable block, or heat insulating structure 92. This upper muiile iiue is similar in many respects to the lower ue forming member I2, above described, but is somewhat shorter due to the front gate arrangement illustrated. It is further desirable in most instances that the cooling at the top be less than that at the bottom due to the fact that most glass articles placed in an annealing lehr are hotter at the bottom than at tne top, so that greater cooling at the bottom is required to bring all portions of such articles to the same temperature. Air is withdrawn from the interior of the member I5 through one or more upwardly extending exhaust flues 93. These iues communicate at their upper ends with a transverse wind box 94. Communication between the transverse wind fox 99 and the Wind box 08 is controlled by a damper member 95, preferably similar in construction toI the damper member 89.

Air is withdrawn from the wind box 88 through an outlet conduit 96, which communicates with a suitable suction 'fan not shown in the accompanying drawing, but illustrated and described in detail in my parent application above referred to. Thus the rate of cooling adjacent to the entrance end of the lehr and within the tunnel may be accurately controlled by the position of damper members 89 and 95. Also the proportional cooling of the upper and lower portions of such ware may be controlled by the relative position of these dampers.

For supplying heat to the interior of the muille ues in members I2 and I5, I preferably provide suitable electric heating elements, which in. the present instance are shown diagrammatically at |00 and |0I in the lower ue within the member I2 and at |02 and |03 in the upper iiue in the member I5. These elements preferably comprise resistance type electric heating elements and are preferably located in, trays, which may be removed laterally from the bottom and top members I2 and I5 respectively. These trays including the heating elements are preferably spaced from the sides of the members I2 and I5 nearer the tunnel and specifically the trays including elements |02 and |03 in the upper flue within the member I5 are for this purpose supported in suitably arranged brackets similar to drawer slides, so as to space the heating elements from the underside of the top member I5, whereby to provide a passage for cooling air immediately adjacent to the side of the iiue nearer the tunnel, whereby the cooling is made more effective.

Electric current is conducted to the heating elements l|00 to |03 inclusive by suitable flexible conductors providing for relative expensive movement between the inner and outer tunnel portions, the details of these iiexible connectors being il lustrated in my parent application above referred to, but not being shown inthe instant drawing. Thus, by passing current through some or all of the heating elements |00 to |03 inclusive, heat is supplied to the interior of one or both of the relatively short muffie iiues and thence to the ware on the conveyor belt adjacent to and within the entrance end of the tunnel, which will serve to bring too cool ware up to the desired soaking temperature prior to subjecting it to annealing temperatures in subsequent portions of the lehr.

particular, I prefer to control the alternative heating and cooling means in response to an automatic control system responsive to glass temper atures, the system being in many respects similar to that shown in my prior Patent 1,802,991,`

granted April 23, 1931.

In accomplishing these objects I preferably employ a construction in which damper members 09 and 95 are interconnected for simultaneous operation either to turn on or turn off the draft to both upper and lower muiile cooling fluessimultaneously. For this purpose the damper members 89 and 95 are provided with sprocket wheels |01 and |08 respectively, which are angularly adjustably secured theretoI in any suitable manner as by suitable set screws (not shown), these sprocket Wheels being connected for simultaneous movement by a sprocket chain |09 passing therearound. For operating the two damper members, I provide on one of the shafts.4 as onj,

the member 95, a crank IIO which is pivotally connected by the link III with a crank II2 arranged to be rotated by a motor H3. The crank II2 is preferably provided with a radial slot (not shown), to any point of which the link III may be pivotally connected, whereby the angular throw of the damper members 89 and 95 may be varied. This construction in combination with the aciinstability of the sprockets |01 and |08, with respect to the damper members 89 and 95 to which they are adjustably fixed respectively, provides for the establishment of independently adjustable drafts in both the top and bottom iiues respectively. The drafts in both upper and lower flues are, however. preferably turned fully on or fully off simultaneously, but the on position in each case is variable as to the amount of draft permitted. The effective length of the crank II2 is always less than that of the crank IIO to prevent the latter ever reaching a dead center position.

It may in some instances be desirable to use a motor for operating these damper members by rotation of the crank I I2 in which a maintaining switch is used for maintaining the motor in operation during the period that the crank II2 makes a one-half revolution, in combination with a cut-ofi switch effective to cut oiT the motor after this one-half revolution has been made and until a separate and independent circuit is subsequently completed at whichtime another half revolution of the crank I I2 will take place. In the present instance, I have chosen to illustrate a motor of reversible character and provided with suitable limit switches effective to prevent the rotation in one direction or the other after the crank IIE has been rotated through 180 in each direction and also in combination with a maintaining switch of any suitable character, so that even if the current to the motor to operate it in one direction or the other be cut off by the automatic means before the motor has turned the crank II2 through 180, the motor will be maintained in operation until this 180 rotation of the crank II2 has been completed, atwhich time the motor will be stopped by a suitable limit switch. The maintaining switch and limitswitch for the motor ||3 have not been shown inthe diagrammatic representation of the circuit in Fig. 2 as these are common means well known in the art and no invention is predicated upon this partie ular use of such means. Also in the diagram (Fig. 2) means to prevent arcing atthe contact points and chattering of the contacting member have not been specifically shown', although such means may, and preferably are used in practice in order to provide for positive making and breaking of the several circuitsand to prevent hunting.. Furthermore, the circuits have beenhsplit up as far as possible to render themlsimple and in order that they may be easily understood. v

As shown in Fig. 2, the heating'elements |33-, IDI, |02 and |03, are connected tolin'e wires H4 and H5. A relay operated switch is interposed.

in the wire H5, which is effective to break the circuit to all of the heating elements simultaneously, the switch being generally indicated atv ||3 and being illustrated as a bridging member movable toward and away from the switch points to which the two portions of wire |||i are connected in response to the energization and deenergization of solenoidv coil III. When current is caused to flow through the. coil Ill, the bridging member of the switch ||6 will be moved to bridge the gap between the portions of wire |l and current will pass through the heating elements |00 to |03 inclusive thus supplying lheat to the interior of the upper and. lower .mufilea 'I'he motor ||3 is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 and is indicated as reversiblebythe double' ended arrow within the circle. The motor-may be of the type which is provided with two field coils, one for operating it in either direction, one end of each of the eld coils being connected by common wire ||3 to one'side ofthe main line. The other ends of each of the field coilsof the motor H3 may be connected by wires ||3`aridI |23` respectively with contact points |2| and V|22positioned at relatively opposite points adjacent to the thermcstatically operated contact member |23.

The other side of the main supply line used for operating the motor 3 may be connected by av wire |24 in any desired manner as through a suit.- able ilexible pigtail to the contact member |23, whereby when the contact member is moved .to the left or right, as shown in Fig. 2, a circuit will be completed through the motor in one direction or the other as hereinafter morespeciilcally to be described. The contact member |23 is further provided with a suitable bridging member |25` adapted to bridge the gap between contact points |23 and |21 upon movement of the contact member |23 to the right as seen in Fig. 2. Contact point |26 is connected by a wire- |28 to one side of the solenoid coil H1. Contact point |21 is connected by wire |29 to some suitable source of power, here generally indicated as a battery |33,

' the other terminal of this source of power or battery being connected tothe other side oi the solenoid coil iii by a wire ll.

The contact member 23 is adapted to be moved by a thermostat A positioned as indicated inFig. l in the flue space Within the lower member l2 and directly above the heating element icl, so as to be responsive jointly to the temperature within the member l2, which is affected either by the temperature of the heating elements H33 and. itil or by the draft of air passing through this member and also to some extent to the temper- .attacco ature'eof the glassware upon the conveyor 43 adjacent to the thermostat.

' The thermostat A is preferably of the type disclosed in the U. S. patent to Mulholland and Honiss, No. 1,866,366, granted July 5, 1932, which c dmprises a differential expansion thermostat including an outer tube of relatively high expansive material, such as nickel, and a rod or inner 4tubedoi-material of little orno expansivity, such vasfusedv silica, these members being fastened tol gether at one end and being allowed to expand independently of each other, as diagrammatically. illustrated in-Flg. 2. In this'gure a casing |32 is .shown which is preferably secured to one side ofA the lehr. ".loI this casing is secured the tub |33, such as the nickel tube above referred to, .and within this tube is a rod or smaller tube |34, which 'may be of fused silica, the tube and rod |33 and |33 being fastened together at their inner ends .(to the' left as seen in Fig. 2 and in almannerf not shown). These elements |33 and |3Lextend transversely of the lehr and preferably are of alength substantially the same as the width-ofthe lehr tunnel plus the width of the insulation at one side thereof. The member |34 against vthe-slidingly mounted red |35, which .is spring pressed toward the member |33 by meansof 'a helical compression spring |36`extending between one side of the member |32 and a collar |37 secured to 4the'rod |35. A member |38v-is threaded on the yrod -|35 and is provided with astud |39 bearing against the contactxnember |23, Vwhich-member is either flexible or pivoted at or near the box member |32. Any suitable means, such as the tension spring |235 extending between the member |23 and a suitable 'xed anchorage |2`3b, may be used to retain the member |23 in engagementfwlth the stud |39 and to move itto the right, 'as seen in Fig. 2, whensuch action is permitted by the position of the stud- |39.- 'I'he lower end of the member |38, as shown .in Fig. 2, is slidingly received in a guide |40 which prevents its'rotation. Thus when the thermostat cools'off and more heat is required at the point at which the thermostat is located,1 the tube |33 will contract causing the member |33 to move the rod |35 to the right, as seen in Fig. 2, against the compression oi the spring |36. This will also move'the stud |39 to the right, permitting the member |23 to moveto the right under the influence ci' the spring |23. Ii the thermostat is too highly heated, the reverse action will take place, and the spring |36 will cause the movement of the rod |35 to the left, which movement will be transmitted through the member |33 and stud |39 to the member |23, which will be moved to the left against the action of the spring |23, which tends at all times to move it to the right and to retain it against the stud |33.

The operation of the system thus far described is'as follows: Assuming an initial condition of the apparatus and position of parts in which the member |23 is in neutral, so that it does not contact with any of the contact points arranged adjacent thereto, the damper members 83 and 35 are in a position permitting the flow of cooling air through the upper and lower muiiie ilues and the current v'to the heating elements is ofi due to the fact that the switch HE is open. If, under these circumstances, the ware is too cool and thethermostat A starts to cool oif, the tube |33 will contract causing a movement of the rod |35 to the right, as seen in Fig. 2, which as above described will cause the contact element |23 to move to the right. The first action takes place when the contact member |23 is moved to such a point that the contact spring |4| secured thereto, which is connected with wire |24, engages the contact point |22. A circuit is completed as follows: wire |24, contact spring I4I, contact point |22. wire |20, motor H3, and Wire H8, back to the line. This circuit serves to startv the operation of the motor H3 in such a direction as to close the damper members 89 and 95, due to a 180 rotation o1 the crank H2. It will be understood that even if themovement of the contact member I 23 should break the connection between contact spring I 4| and contact point |22 at any time before the crank H2 has completed its half revolution, the circuit to the motor H3 to move it in the direction to close the dampers will be maintained by a suitable maintaining switch and will be positively cut oi by a suitable cut off or limit switch after the motor has rotated the crank H2 through 180. The result of this action is that the draft will be' cut off through the upper and lower muifles.

If the temperature at the thermostat A is still too cool, so that the contact member |23 is moved further to the right, as above described, the spring member I4| will yield suiiiciently to permit such movement and the bridge member |25 will be moved to connect the contact points |26 and |21. A circuit will then be completed as follows: From the battery I 30, through wire |29, contact point |21, bridge member |25, contact point |26, wire |28, solenoid coil H1, and wire |3|, back to the battery |30. Thus, the solenoid coil |I'| will be energized to close the switch H6 and connect the heating elements |00, |02 and |03 with the linewires H4 and H5, which will supply heat to both the upper and lower munies simultaneously.

When the thermostat A has been suiiiciently heated, so that the tube |33 again expands and the contact member |23 starts moving to the left from its extreme right hand position as seen in Fig. 2, under the influence of the mechanism above described, the rst occurrence is the breaking of the circuit including bridging member |25 and contact points |26 and |21, which will cause the de-energization @of the coil H'|, this in turn causing the opening of the circuit to the heating elements |00, IOI. |02 and |03, thus cutting off the further supplying of heat to the glass.

Upon further movement of the member |23 to the left as seen in Fig. 2, due to the continued heating up of the elements of thermostat A, the contact will be broken between the spring |4| and the contact point |22. When this occurs, nothing further happens as presumably the motor H3 has ceased to operate in a direction to close the damper members 89 and 95. Even if this movement has not been completed, the action of closing the dampers will be continued and completed by the maintaining switch and cutoff switch for the motor I3, in the manner above described.

Assuming now that the thermostat A is further r,- heated up, so that positive cooling of the glass is called for, the contact member |23 will be moved further to the left. as seen in Fig. 2, until the contact spring |42 engages the contact point I2I. At this time a circuit will be completed from the main current supply line. through wire |24. Contact spring |42, Contact point |2|, wire H9, motor H3, and wire H8, back to the line. The motor H3 will thus be actuated in the opposite direction from that above described and will be effective to rotate the crank H2 through 180 in the opposite direction, which will serve to open the damper membersI 89 and 95 through the mechanism above described. It will be understood thatthe maintaining switch and limit switches are similarly effective to cause a continued movement ofthe motor suicient to move the crank H2 through 180 and there to stop such movement. Thus the draft has again been started through the muifle dues, so that from the standpoint of the lehr, the original conditions have been restored. Y

If now the thermostat A commences to cool again, the contact member |23 will be moved back toward its neutral position, and in the course of such movement, contact will be broken between the contact spring |42 and the contact point I2I. This will have no effectupon the action of the motor H3 due to the use of the maintaining switch above described and the cutoff switch, so that this breaking of the circuit by movement of the contact member |23 to neutral will merely 'restore the original conditions of the automatic control means thus far explained.

With the contact member |23 in the neutral position, the heating elements are always inactive and the damper members 89 and 95 may be either open or closed to establish or cut oi draft through the cooling flues within the members I 2 and I5 according as the contact member |23 was to the left or right respectively of its neutral position immediately prior to its being at the neutral position.

Thus far I have described what may be termed primary circuit for operating the alternative heating or cooling control. I provide also what may be termed a secondary circuit or a circuit for controlling the primary circuit preferably in a manner similar to that disclosed in my prior Patent 1,802,991 above referred to. It will be understood from the foregoing description that the primary circuit will control the heating or cooling in response to variations of the temperature at the position of the thermostat A from a predetermined temperature range, the range being that in which the thermostat A is adapted to operate and being in practice perhaps 2 or 3 degrees. This range, however, may be changed or varied by varying both limits thereof similarly, that is in the same direction and in corresponding amounts. In practically accomplishing this variation, I prefer to vary the relative positions of the rod |35 and member |38 by rotating the rod |35 with respect to the member |38. This is preferably accomplished automatically as in my prior Patent 1,802,991 above referred to by means of a motor |43, which is suitably geared to the rod |35 as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 2, although in practice a relatively high gear reduction is used. Y

For operating the motor |43 in one direction or the other I preferably employ an automatic means responsive to thermostat A', which, as shown in Fig. 1, is located in a recess in the floor plate of section |0 ata point remote from the inuence of the heating or cooling means of section 9 and also so as not to be influenced by the main heating means (not shown) which supply heat to the lehr. The thermostat A.' is thus adapted to be responsive predominantly to the temperature of the glassware adjacent thereto. Thermostat A is preferably of the same type as thermostat A and is adapted to operate a contact member |44 in the same manner that thermostat A operates contact member |23, the -essential ldifference being, however, that the range for thermostat A' is manually adjustable by a hand wheel |45 secured to the threaded shaft |48,

.which corresponds to the rod |35 of the thermostat A. In connection with thermostat A vand motor |43, a cammechanism is preferably used comprising cams 41, |48 and |49 mounted upon a common shaft, these cams being arranged to be driven bya motor |50. Suitable speed reducing means are preferably interposed between the motor |50 and the common shaft on whichcams |41, |48 and |49 are mounted, and preferably these cams are rotated at a speed, which, while it may be variable, is preferably of the order of one revolution in five minutes. It will be under-l stood, however,`that this speed may be changed by varying the gear train interposed between the armature of motor |50 and the common shaft on which the cams are mounted. 'Ihe particular speed referred to is, however, chosen as approximately that of a single revolution of the cams in about the time it takes the ware to pass between the points opposite thermostats A and A' respectively plus the time required for heat to be transmitted from the heating elements |00, |0|, |02 and |03 to the ware and from the ware to thermostat A to influence this thermostat. The contact member |44 is preferably provided with pairs of spring contact members |5||52, |53-|54, |55-|56, all of which contact members |5| to |56 inclusive, are in effect connected together due to the construction of the contact member |44 of some conducting material. Current is supplied to the secondary circuit from line wires |51 and |58. The wire `|58 is connected by a wire |59 with the conducting contact member |44, so that each of `the contact springs |5| to |56 inclusive is at all times connected to wire |58. Contact springs 5| to |56 inclusive respectively are arranged to make contact with points |60, |6|, |62, |63, |64 and |65. One side of the motor |50 is connected by a wire |66 with one side of the line, wire |51; and the other side of the motor |50 is connected by a wire |61, with the wire |68, which communicates with both contact points |64 and |65 at one end and with one contact |69 of the maintaining switch controlled by cam |49 at its other end. The other contact |10 of this maintaining switch is connected directly to line wire |58. The cam |49 has a notch at one portion thereof into which the movable member 1| ofthe maintaining switch may drop by gravity or under the influence of a suitable spring (not shown) as desired. Each of the cams |41 and |48 is provided with a protrusion, which is adapted to be opposite their respective cam followers almost immediately after the cams |41, |48 and |49 have been rotated so that the member |1| rides out of the notch in cam |49. Cam |41 controls a switch including members |12 and |13 and cam |48 controls a switch including members |14 and |15. One side of each of these switches controlled by cams |41 and |48, to wit, switch contacts |13 and |15, are connected with points |62 and |63 respectively by wires |16 and |11. The motor |43 is as above stated a reversible motor and may include two field windings, one

side of each of which is connected by a cornmon wire |18 with one side of the line, wire |51.

nected respectively by wires |6| and |02 to the other sides of the switches controlled by cams' |41 and |48,A that is switch contacts |12 and |14 respectively.

Considering now the operation of the secondary circuit as controlling the motor |43 to adjust the range of the primary circuit, and starting with the contact member |44 in neutral, so that no contacts are made on either'side thereof, the

motor 50 is stopped in aposition in which the cam follower |1| of the maintaining switchis in the notch in cam |49, and the protrusions on cams |41 and |48 are not oppositatheir 'respective cam followers, so that the switches 4including members i12-|13 and |14-|15 are both open, and assuming that the glass is cooling down, so that the temperature at the point at which thermostat A' is located is falling below the predetermined set range for this thermostat, which will result in a movement of the contact member |44 to the right, as seen in Fig. 2. The first occurrence incident tothe movement of contact member |44 to thel right is that the contact spring |54 vwill engage contact point |63, which will connect the wire |58, through wire |59, contact vno action will occur.

Upon further movement of the contact member |44 to the right as seen in Fig. 2, due to the continued cooling of the thermostat A', the next contact to be made is that between the contact spring |56 and contact point |85. At this time a circuit is completed as follows; from one side of the line, wire |58,'through wire |59, contact member |44, contact spring |56, contact point |65, wire |68, wire |61, motor|50 and wire |68 back to the other side of the line, Wire |51. This will start the operation of the motor |50 to rotate the cams |41, |48 and |49 in the direction of the arrowsv shownin lig.` -2. As soon as'contact member |1| has been moved by the movement of the cam |49 to close the maintaining switch between contacts |89 and |10, a' maintaining circuit through the motor'3l60 is completed as follows: from the Wire |58, through contact |10,

contact |69, a part of wire |68, wire |61, motor |50, and wire |66 back to theother side of the line, wire |51. This circuit will -maintain the motor |50 in operation untilthe cams have made a complete revolution to bring the notchin ca m |49 opposite the cam follower |1|, whether or not the contact is broken between the contact spring |56 and contact point |65 to open the motor circuit as first established.

Also, as soon as the cams- |41, |40 and |49 have commenced to rotate, the follower of cam |48 rides up on the protrusion of that cam, causing the engagement of switch contacts |14 and |15, which will complete a circuit through the motor |43 to operate it in one direction as follows: starting with one side of'the line, wire |59, through wire |59, contact member |44, contact spring |54, contact point |63, wire |11, contact |15, contact |14, wire |82, wire |88, motor |43, and wire |18 back to the other side of the line, wire |51. in one direction as long as the contact points |14 and |15 are retained in engagement, which time will be subject to the configuration of cam |48, and will be measured also by the rate of rotation of the cam under the influence of motor |50. The configuration of cams |41 and |48 The motor |43 will thus be actuated atrasos may be made variable, in a manner "not shown herein, but which is specifically illustrated in` Figs. 17 and 18 and set forth in the specification of my parent application above referred to. This actuation of the motor |43 will be of an intermittent character and will be only for a predetermined variable time during each single revolution of cam |48. This will cause but a small correction in the range of thermostat nA due to a small Variationy between the temperature of the ware adjacent to the thermostat A' and the predetermined range of that thermostat. If this small variation continues in approximately the same degree. when the cams have made a singlerevolution, the motor |50 will be maintained in operation due to contact spring '|55 and contact point being still in engagement and the small correction'of the range of thermostat A by motor |43 controlled by cam |48 will be repeated. Fur-- thermore, this small 4correction will be repeated as long as the above conditions exist. If, however. the correction on the rst or some subsequent revolutions of the cams |41, |40 and |49 furnishes a sufficient correction of the range of thermostat A, the contact member |44 will return to its neutral position and the motor |50 will stop after the cams have completed a complete revolution, as above described. The timing of the intermittent range corrections above described and operated by motor |50 is designed to be such that the cams will make a single revolution in the time ware passes between thcrmostats A and A plus the time for heat to be transmitted from the heating elements |00, |0|, |02 and |03 to the ware and therefrom to thermostat A', `so that if the initial correction is sufficient, no further correction will be made until the ware acted upon by the preconditioning means as corrected has time to influence thermostat A'.

If, however, the variation between the temperature of the ware andthe set range ofthermostat A' is relatively larger in degree, so that the contactmember |44 is moved still further to the right, as shown in Fig. 2, Contact spring |52 will engage contact point I6 which will comlplete a continuous circuit to the motor |43 for the time contact spring |52 and contact point |6| remain in engagement. This continuous circuit may be traced by beginning with one side of the line, wire |58, through wire |59, contact member |44, contact Vspring |52, contact point ll, a portion of wire |82, wire |80, motor |43, and wire |18 back to the other side of the line, wire |51. Thus the correction of the range of thermostat A effected by the motor |43 will be continuous as long as the contact spring |52 remains in engagement with contact point |6|.

Assuming now that the contact member |44 is in' its extreme right hand position, as seen in Fig. 2, and contact springs |52, |54 and |55 are al1 engaged with their respective contact points 16|, |63 and |65. Ifnow the correction of thermostatA madeas above described is sufcient, and the ware is sufficiently heated, vso that thermostat A' is influenced by the heated ware and commences to move the contact mem lresponsive to cam Upon further movement of the contact member |44 to the left, contact spring |56 will break from its contact point |65, thus opening the circuit through the motor |50 other than Athat maintained by the maintaining switch including cam |49, but having no effect upon the intermittent operation of the motor |43, which at this time is controlled solely by the switch |48. Under these circumstances, however. thc cams |41, |48 and |49 will be stopped as soon as the motor |50 has moved them to such a point that the cam follower |1|4 drops into the notch in cam |49.

Upon further movement of the contact member |44 to the left, as seen in Fig. 2, contact spring |54 will break from its corresponding contact point |63, which will open the circuit through the motor |43, whether oir not the hump or protrusion on cam |48 is in alignment with its follower. However, in this event, if the three cams have not ceased rotating, the rota tion for the single revolution will be completed.

by the motor |50 under the control of the maintaining switch including cam |49. 'I'he contact member |44 has now assumed neutral position and the original position is regained,

If, however, the glass is still too hot and the contact member |44 continues to be moved to the left, as seen in Fig. 2, from its neutral position, the first occurrence is the engagement of contact spring |53 with contact point |62, which is above described with respect to the engagement of contact spring |54 with contact point |63, will have no effect, due in this case, however, to the fact that the switch, including contacts |12 and |13 are out of engagement.

Upon further movement of the contact member |44 to the left as seen in Fig. 2, the motor |50 will be started in the .same manner and in the same direction as above described in con- `nectlon with the engagement of contact spring |59 and contact point |55 and also it will be 4maintained in operation by the maintaining switch including cam |49 in exactly the same manner.

In this case, however, and shortly after the cams |41, |49 and |49 have been set in rotation, the motor |43 will be operated intermittently for short but variable periods in the opposite direction, in the same manner as above described in connection with the use of cam |48. The circuit for this intermittent operation in the opposite direction may be 'traced as follows: starting from one side of the line, wire |58, through wire |59, contact member |44, contact spring |53, contact point |52, wire |16, contact point |13. contact point |12, wire |8|, wire |19, motor I 43, and wire |10 back to the other side of the line, wire |51. Thus the motor will be operated intermittently in the opposite direction, but in a corresponding manner to that above described.

Upon further movement of the contact spring |44 to the left, as seen in Fig. 2. contact sprng |5| will engage contact point |60, completing a continuous circuit through the motor |43 in the same direction as its intermittent rotation, which has just been described, the circuit here being traceable as'follows: starting from one side of the line, wire |59, through wire |59, contact member |44, contact spring point |90, wire H9, motor |43, and wire |18 back to the other side of the line, wire |51. A

This continuous operation of the motor |43 is exactly analogous to that above described except that it is in the opposite direction.

The return of the contact member |44 from its extreme left-hand position back to neutral is accompanied by operations corresponding to those described above in connection with its return from its extreme right hand position back to neutral.

It will be noted that as the motor |43 influences the setting of the range of thermostat A in response to the temperature recorded by thermostat A, it does it by varying the relative position between the threaded rod |35 and member |38. This is effective and it has been found in practice to result in the direct movement of the contact member |23 as the thermostat A mayv vary`but little while its range is being adjusted by the motor |43. As a result it often happens that the operation of the primary circut is sometimes caused substantially directly by the operation of motor |43 which is controlled, as above described, by the secondary circuit. In other words, it may be considered that the secondary thermostat A' is effective to control in an intermittent or continuous manner, or both, the operation of the temperature affecting means which include the dampers 89 and 95 and the heating coils |00 to |03 inclusive.

Inasmuch as certain of the methods and ap-` paratus above described in detail may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not wish to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims, which are to be construed as broadly as the state of the prior artpermits.

I claim:

1. The method of regulating the temperature of continuously moving material andbringing it to a predetermined temperature, comprising the steps of causing the material to movealong an enclosed path, regulating the temperature in a zone in said enclosed path in response to variations in the temperature at a point subject both to the temperature regulated and the temperature of the material'from a range of temperatures, similarly and intermittently varying the position of both limits of said range in the temperature scale in response to relatively small variations in the temperature of the material from a predetermined temperature range at a point in its path beyond said zone, and similarly and continuously varying both limits of the first-named range in response to relatively larger variations in the temperature of the material at the lastnamed point from the last-named predetermined temperature range.

2. The method of regulating the temperature of continuously moving material and bringing it to a predetermined temperature, comprising the steps of causing the material to move along an enclosed path, alternatively and positively supplying heat to or abstracting heat from a zone in said enclosed path in response to variations in the Atemperature from a range of temperatures, at a point subject both to the temperature in said zone and the temperature of said material, similarly and intermittently varying the position oi both limits of said range in the temperature scale in response to relatively small Variations in the temperature of the material from a predetermined temperature range at a point in its path beyond said zone, and similarly and continuously varying both limits of the ilrst n-amed range in response to relatively larger variations in the temperature of the material at the last-named point from the last-named predetermined temperature range.

3. Apparatus for varying and controlling the temperature oi continuously moving material,

comprising astructure defining an enclosed path for such material, means for varying and controlling the temperature within said structure. temperature responsive means positioned at a predetermined point in said structure for controlling the said temperature varying means in response to variations in the temperature at said point from a range of temperatures, a second temperature responsive means located at a point in said structure spaced from the first-named point for varying both limits of said range similarly in response to variations in the temperature at the second-named point from a predetermined temperature range, and means associated with the last-named temperature responsive means for rendering its operation in varying the limits of the first-named range intermittent for relatively small variations between the temperature at the second-named point and the predetermined range of the last-named temperature responsive means, and continuous for relatively larger variations.

4. Apparatus for alternatively raising or lowering the temperature of continuously moving material, comprising a structure dening an enclosed path for such material, means for positively raising or lowering the temperature alternatively within said structure, temperature responsive means positioned at a predetermined point in said structure and subject at least partially to the temperature of the said temperature raising or lowering'means for controlling the said temperature raising or lowering means in response to variations in the temperature at said point from 4a range of temperatures, a second temperature responsive means located at a point in said structure unaffected directly by the said temperature raising or lowering means for varying both limits of said range simultaneously in response to variations in the temperature at the second-named point from a predetermined temperature range, and means associated with the last-named temperature responsive means for rendering its action in varying the limits of the rst-named range intermittent for relatively small variations between the temperature at the second-named point and the predetermined range of the last-named temperature responsive means, and continuous for relatively larger variations.

5. Apparatus for varying and controlling the temperature of continuously moving material, comprising a structure defining an enclosed path for such material, means for varying and controlling the temperature within said structure, temperature responsive means positioned at a predetermined point in said structure for controlling the said temper-ature varying and controlling means in response to differences between the temperature at said point from a range of temperatures, a second temperature responsive means located at a point in said structure spaced from the rst-named point for varying both limits of said range similarly in response to variations in the temperature at the second-named point from a predetermined temperature range, and means associated with the last-named temperature responsive means for rendering its action in varying the limits of the first-named range intermittent for relatively small variations between the temperature at the second-named point and the envases 'tion of the range thereof in the temperature scale, means actuated by the second-named tem- 10 perature responsive means for operating said motor intermittently in either direction when said variations are relatively small, and means for operating said motor continuously in either direction when said variations are relatively larger.

la l6. Apparatus for controlling the temperature of material which moves substantially continuously in a predetermined path by alternatively supplying heat to or abstracting heat from the material, comprising a thermostat positioned at 2G such a point a'E to be responsive jointly to the 2li trolling the supplying temperature of the heat supplying or abstracting means and to the temperature of the material adjacent to the point at which the thermostat is located for selectively and automatically conor abstractlng of heat to or from the materiai in response to variations between the temperature at said thermostat and a temperature range, a second thermostat positioned at a point spaced from the first named thermostat to be responsive predominantly to the temperature of the material for varying both limits oi the range of the rst named thermostat similarly, a reversible electric motor, electric circuits controlled by the second named thermostat for operating said motor similarly to vary both limits of the range of the first named thermostat, and means actuated by the second named thermostat for completing circuits intermittently to .said motor to operate it in one direction or the other in response to relatively slight variations of the temperature at said second named thermostat from its predetermined range in one direction or the other respectively, and means actuated in response to relatively larger variations in one direction or the other in the temperature at said second named thermostat from its predetermined range for completing circuits to said motor to actuate it continuously in one direction or the other respectively.

HAROLD A. WADMAN. 

